Tides Of Protomis LXXXV

The Meeting

It was but a few hours after the group’s battle with the Slayers known as the Four Corners. As one might expect, they cleaned themselves up and gathered together at their chosen meeting place, Asami’s home... Much to her chagrin, she had to question why it had to be her home. Especially given the crowd that now inhabited it, 10 people total. Herself, the tides, Jirou, along with Shinto, Akashi, and Yudei, spread out across the living room. Luckily enough, both her parents and younger sister Kotone were not there… That was especially lucky given what they watched on the TV in front of them. On which a familiar young woman, with a head of brown hair tied into a ponytail, sat behind a table, a microphone in her hand.

“On today’s news, there was a fight between an agent of a group that had recently revealed themselves, and five who will be famillar to many of you. This group exists to defend the world from the scourge of new creatures appearing, which, through study, have been determined to not be the life weavers creations, and did not exist before the lifeweaver appeared.”

As she paused, an image of one of these beings appeared. A river, though it was dissimilar to the one’s they’d battled earlier, it clearly had some common features.

“These creatures have been named demons. As we are told, during the battle today, the slayers were interrupted from their hunt by a girl codenamed the Violet Devil. She is also rumored to be in fact, a former member of the Kaemerge. Strangely enough, the four tides, those who once helped us all in the past, worked with her.”

Soon, another image was shown, the five of them together. Something that didn’t bode well. Given Asami’s worried expression, it was something she clearly saw as well. With hope, that much was isolated to the local news channel. But, as she pressed a button on the remote, going to the next channel, these hopes disappeared as she saw the text on the bottom of the screen.

“Holy Order? Demons?” Directly above it was the program’s two iconic hosts. A middle-aged man with a shiny bald head but a long thick beard on his face, the man known as Tomozuka. While the man next to him, of a similar age, lacked any facial hair, though he did have a thick head of hair. Known by most as Suzumara.

“Really, that’s it? As I see it, no way this is real. How can we trust these random guys that just popped up?”

As Tomozuka spoke, Suzumara began to lean onto the table.

“Oh yeah, because 5 kids who ain’t even outta high school is SO much better...” Suzumara responded.

“Those 5 kids helped with the Kaemerge. And who the hell are these guys? Coming in talking about these so-called “Demons.”...”

Still retaining some hope, she flipped to another channel, only to see the same report. She flipped to the next, only for them to relay the same information...At the moment, she did not have very much to say. And it likely wouldn’t be that way until she collected her thoughts. Instead, there was a certain sense of Deja vu. Away from the couch Asami sat on, across the living room, was the home’s kitchen, a countertop going across the length of the area, providing what was essentially a window to the rest of the room. Leaning onto it with his elbows resting upon the counter, hands intertwined, was Alarick…

“This is Unfortunate.” He sighed as he turned his gaze up to the ceiling.

“Well, looks like that reputation we built is gone…”

As Alarick spoke, Zhao nodded.

“We all know how the Media can get at times… Chances are they’ll take this information and run with it.”

Arctaius sat with a can of soda in his hand, Unfazed by the report. Though, as Alarick spoke, he looked over his shoulder, responding.

“Fine with me. Not like it matters all that much.”

As he took a sip of his soda, Asami turned her attention to him.

“Well, of course, You would say that. You’re used to that…”

Jirou stood up from his chair and began pacing around the room.

“That aside, I’d think that this means they’ll be coming after us a lot more, and if what you said about the surveillance is true, they likely have all of us tracked, perhaps even Liang and Cuifen.”

Zhao nodded.

“That’s true… Hopefully, they don’t get to Cuifen. That doesn’t end well for anyone. I have no doubt Liang would make anyone who hurt her pay…” While Zhao couldn’t consider himself in line with any of the Guo Monestary’s teachings, even with the marks on his forehead, and the robes he wore, some part of him still wished to solve these situations peacefully, if possible. As of right now, he had doubts about whether it was.

Elsewhere, Yudei put his hand on his chin in thought. Trying to, at the least, think of some way to help. Unfortunately, he was much like the others in this room, mostly in the dark, so he couldn’t come up with much.

“Taius, you think you could ask Watanabe if he knows anything about him? He knew about the Kaemerge before anybody else did.”

Arctaius glanced at him, pausing for some moments.

“Perhaps, but I haven’t talked to him for a bit. Two birds with one stone, I suppose.”

As the two spoke, a grimace began to appear on the face of one of those there. Something that they did not take notice of. She clenched her fists as she looked at the ground, attempting to keep herself calm, but… Even so, it was simply too much with what she just saw and what she’d seen before. She stood up between the two, catching their attention.

“Hold on a minute, why are you even helping her in the first place?! So you’d go back to how things were before for a member of the Kaemerge? The same organization you ran after for revenge?”

Arctaius was silent at this. Rather than respond, he simply stood and began to walk away from the couch. However, this statement's target did not take this too kindly. She soon stood up as well, her eyes boring into Asami.

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“FORMER kaemerge member, I don’t appreciate you coming after me like that…”

Asami began to step toward her.

“Am I wrong?! Do you think you can just walk around freely with what your organization did? You start a conflict that kills Hisashi, making people like Tetsuya fight the same people who killed their family, their friends! And let’s not even forget about the mind control?! And now you’re here with this demon business?!”

Miyamoto clenched her fists… While she couldn’t deny what she was saying, The kaemerge sure had some skeletons in their closet. The fact that she had the nerve to include those who were just along for the ride? Like Gihren, and Miyamoto… And, though she didn’t know him well, the one known as Bijan Lafeyah. She wouldn’t stand for that.

“Somehow, I’m to blame for that?! How is it my fault that whoever that is decided to join them?”

It became abundantly clear that neither planned on backing down. And it was likely that things would only escalate further. Triggering Shinto to jump into action. The large youth soon stepped between them, blocking their view of one another.

“Ladies, you must cease posthaste!!! This squabble will do nothing for us!”

Akashi soon stood up as well, inching toward them.

“Yeah... Let’s just calm it down a bit--”

Soon, Asami walked past Shinto, and she began to yell.

“We don’t need Kaemerge around here, especially if we’re going to have things like THIS happen. So not only are you Kaemerge, but you’re a demon as well?!”

A demon as well… Those words, as they began to echo through her head, she was brought back to yet another memory. She remembered it clearly. Just four years ago, as her proto-human abilities awakened. There she sat, his gaze upon the ground, as her parents looked down on her with disgust. A woman bearing a striking resemblance to Junko, with short purple hair, Miyamoto Eimi. And to her side, an older man with a thick beard on his face, Miyamoto Hidenori.

“To think that you’d end up being one of THEM…”

As the woman spoke, it was only then that Junko looked up at her. Holding back her tears. She glanced at her father… At the least, attempting to get some support from him. But, even so, he simply gave her the same look as her mother did.

“I suggest you get going...Demon.”

Demon…Demon… Demon… Though she eventually snapped back to the present. With Asami’s words, Miyamoto was left standing in silence. Those words resounded through her mind time and time again. With the uncomfortable memories dredged up, she had little will to continue. Miyamoto sidestepped Shinto and ran past him and Asami alike. Out of the living room and past Arctaius, who stayed leaning on the wall. Following her with his eyes as she opened the door, ran out, and slammed it behind her. Arctaius moved his gaze forward as he sighed.

“Well… Lots of people aren’t too happy with the kaemerge. Former member or not… it’s not like I can blame them. I only accept Miyamoto, Yu, and Lafeyah, knowing that they fought alongside us. Truth be told, if we hadn’t met them when we did and met in Tsugashuan, our relationship probably wouldn’t be anywhere near as friendly.”

It was no surprise that Kazimir sprung into action and began to run as well, his attempt to make chase… Though he did shoot Asami a glare as he left, he decided not to dwell on his anger. Decidedly, he ignored Arctaius as well, opening the door again and exiting before closing it behind him. All the while, Zhao stood there in silence, and so did Alarick.

“Well… I’m not gonna say anything… I’d rather not hear Hoshi’s yelling again…”

And just like that, silence fell upon the room. At the least, until Akashi stood, walking to the center.

“So, uh… You guys heard about the game yesterday… We really sent them back to Sapporo.”

Yudei’s gaze slowly shifted over to him as he raised an eyebrow.

“Baseball talk, now?”

Akashi scratched the back of his head.

“I was just trying to lighten up the mood…”

It did not take long for Miyamoto to reach the destination she’d set for herself. Far away from Asami’s house or any people in general. A verdant, untapped wildland that seemed untouched by the metropolis’ growth over the centuries. She sat with her eyes on the ground, at the least, until she felt that someone had begun to approach. As the woman looked toward the treeline, it was then that she saw Kazimir walking toward her.

“You know… I don’t think that was directed at you. I’d say it was more directed toward--- well, the ones we fought against.”

“Even so… I despise being grouped with them, but I can’t even deny that it’s the truth... How would everyone else who knows now think any differently? After all this, there’s no way I could face Koyama-San. Nor anyone at school, Miho-Chan, Ayame-Chan.”

While it took her a while to get adjusted to being in a regular school, the two she’d named helped her out by no small amount. Outside of her two deceased squadmates and the man in front of her, she was the closest to them. Kazimir paused as he heard her plight; her state of mind was clear to him. As such, the esper decided to choose his words carefully. Placing a hand on the chin as he began speaking.

“That may be true for some of them... But think about it like this. I’m sure there’s enough of them that might realize you’ve changed or not trust the information they’ve put out. After all, why would they be hiding out if they had a positive agenda?”

Miyamoto nodded, but her questions did not end there.

“But what about you four?”

“Well, I can only speak for myself, but I assume the others think the same. Why would that matter if you say you’re not with them? As far as I’m concerned, you aren’t… Even if you were, it’s not like they still exist. “

Miyamoto stayed silent for a few moments. As she stood up, a smile began to crack on her face.

“I wouldn’t have expected to hear this from the one who said I looked like a child those 8 months ago.”

Kazimir chuckled.

“You know… Let’s not go that far back.”

Though, he was soon met by a full smile coming onto Miyamoto’s face.

“It’s fine, Kazimir. I’ve since gotten over that.”

To Be Continued.

Elsewhere, the opponents that had brought the group back into the spotlight sat far away from them, within a five-story building, just a few miles away from Villiere’s capitol building in Paris. The passerby on the streets below went into the stores and shops or continued on with their day, seemingly ignoring the rather ordinary building. Though the inhabitants were anything but, it was clear that this was on purpose. That much became clear as one entered, and went beyond the ground floor, and came across men draped in white uniforms, large wall-mounted terminals displaying large holograms, as well as large amounts of communications equipment. This was the Holy Order’s HQ.

Within the top floor sat an ornately decorated room held up by marble pillars. Or, at the least, a material that resembled it. Within the center of the room, there was a conference table, which displayed a holographic map. As well as a display showing information about one of their newest targets.

Warning-High Risk Target

Name: Arctaius Corde

Species: Proto-human

Combat Information:

Killed an estimated 50,000 soldiers during the Amerikanisches Rebellion

-Killed another 70,000 during the rest of the third World war.

--An estimated 7000 During the Kaemerge conflict and battles with them beforehand.

Given these were all gained within the first 16 years of his lifespan, one can only assume that he will not hesitate to kill and must be battled with the utmost caution.

-High Level of strength, a high-tier proto-human, possibly crossing into Ultima-Human territory. Possibly capable of killing Lumeris Magnus class slayers.

-Has shown a significant amount of tactical Intellect, having defeated many of a similar or higher amount of power with the same amount of energy.

Strategies Suggested

-Attempt to catch him off guard(Given him being a proto-human and Experienced combatant, it is debatable whether this is possible.)

--Keep him separated from his allies(Will not guarantee a victory, but will help to that end. As they are as well high-risk targets. See Case files for more context)

Alarick Von Zaisen

Zhao Lei

Kazimir Rhuskov

Hashimoto Jirou

Miyamoto Junko

Yu Liang

At the end of the table sat the head of the Holy Order, Lyle. The recent developments displeased him, no doubt.

“Well...There goes Genbu. He was a good man… They all were. How disappointing.”

Another man, Tan-skinned with short black hair, looked up at Lyle as he spoke the deceased slayer’s name. His yellow orbs seemed to shine as the light above him reached them. His white trench coat, lined with gold, as well as the symbol on the back, would show his status as a member of the Holy order’s high council and a senior slayer. But the rest of his outward appearance would mark him as Farid Shibani.

“If Genbu and his squad were defeated, we will need to go up a class to deal with them. We can not eliminate that demon with her supporters around…”

As he spoke, another council member began to sit up, his clothing most similar to that of Farid’s. Standing at about 6’4, this fair-skinned man was much taller than anyone else in the room.

His angular jaw, covered in dark red hair, is the same as his head. Though, most notable was his right eye or lack thereof. It remained closed, with a scar going below and above the eye and the eyelid itself. Something from one of his many battles. This man was another member of the council, Fransisco Delgado.

“While they may get in our way, there is also the issue of the Wider demonic forces, we cannot repair the barrier, and it’d take too long to remake it… We can not afford to lose those more experienced in the field.”

Lyle went silent for a moment.

“Indeed. We’ll have to isolate one from the rest and let Volker take it from there… “